Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper Chatham officials have proposed a preliminary 2020 town budget totaling $3.1 million, including a 5.41 percent decrease in taxes. The spending plan includes the general budget, as well as the Highway Department. There are also funds for fire protection paid to several fire companies, lighting districts, and funds for the library and North Chatham Fire District, which brings the total proposal to roughly $3.6 million. The Chatham Town Board accepted the preliminary budget at its October 17 meeting and it is expected to hold a public hearing on the plan November 7. Town board member Michael Richardson said the tax rate increases included in 2017, 2018 and 2019 budgets were under the state-mandated tax cap and were necessary in order to cover the town's $227,000 deficit from 2016, and to build up the reserves. Richardson said the board has now replenished the reserves and this year there was a surplus fund balance. In the preliminary spending plan, the board designated approximately $160,000 from the fund balance be used to lower the tax rate. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.